Robert A. Burke, incarcerated on the same floor of a federal Loop jail as Erickson at the time of the 1992 attempted escape, was accused by other inmates of involvement in obtaining the key used by Erickson to free himself before he disarmed a deputy marshal and killed two law enforcement officers, according to a criminal complaint brought Wednesday.

Erickson, wounded by one of the officers, fatally shot himself a few feet from a Loop rush-hour crowd.

Burke, 50, formerly of Chicago, was charged with perjury for allegedly lying during a grand jury appearance in October about his knowledge of Erickson's escape plans.

But Burke's lawyer, Thomas Anthony Durkin, cried foul, accusing the U.S. government of concocting a ruse to get Burke extradited from London, where he had fled, last December for a probation violation. The prosecutors' sole purpose was to put Burke before the grand jury investigating Erickson's bloody escape attempt, Durkin said.

Prosecutors quickly lodged the perjury charge against Burke shortly after a federal judge on Wednesday ordered him released from custody on the probation violation.

At a hearing in federal court, Assistant U.S. Atty. Diane MacArthur said the government wanted Burke in custody, arguing that Burke, who holds U.S. and Irish citizenship, was a flight risk. A detention hearing was scheduled for Friday.

Two unnamed inmates told investigators that Burke had bragged about being able to smuggle contraband for a fee into the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

One of them said Burke had specifically offered to get him a homemade handcuff key if he wanted to escape, authorities said. The inmate said Burke told him that his mother and father could bring him a key during a visit but that it would cost the inmate at least $7,500.

The other inmate said the day before the escape attempt, Erickson told him that Burke "had something for him for which Erickson owed Burke $2,000," the complaint said.

A third inmate told authorities that on six to 12 occasions, he overheard Burke and Erickson talking about how to escape. The inmate said Burke suggested that the best time to try to make a getaway would be while leaving or arriving at court, the complaint alleged.

During his trial for a series of violent bank robberies, Erickson was able to free himself from one handcuff as he was being led from the Dirksen Federal Building with eight other inmates, authorities said.

As he attempted to flee from a basement garage at the federal courthouse, he exchanged gunfire with Court Security Officer Harry Belluomini, a retired Chicago police officer. Though mortally wounded, Belluomini was able to shoot Erickson. Apparently unable to escape, Erickson fired a fatal shot into his head and crumpled on a ramp a few feet from Jackson Boulevard.

A handcuff key was found next to Erickson's body.

Ever since, the major question confronting investigators was how Erickson had obtained the handcuff key.

In October Burke, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison on bank fraud charges, was given immunity from prosecution on the Erickson case and taken before a federal grand jury.

Burke denied talking to Erickson the day before the escape attempt about any escape plans of Erickson's. He also denied talking to Erickson about a handcuff key or offering to sell any inmate a handcuff key.

The government alleged those denials were lies.

Durkin, Burke's lawyer, vowed an international court fight over the perjury charge. A formal protest had already been filed in Britain, accusing the U.S. government of "deceptiveness in seeking the extradition order," Durkin wrote in a motion seeking Burke's release.

U.S. Atty. Patrick J. Fitzgerald said prosecutors were limited by the extradition in what charges could be brought against Burke.

The charges brought relief to the widows of the slain officers.

"It's about time something has been done," Wendy Frakes said. "I hope the charges stick and they can bring him to the fullest punishment there is."